Ex Pro becomes Con

Ex Arbroath and Dundee player Carling jailed From The Courier: A former professional footballer who took a knife into a Dundee fast-food restaurant while drunk has been jailed for almost two years.

John Carling, 38, who had played for Dundee and Arbroath, had also admitted drink-driving, breaching court orders and was previously found guilty after trial of being drunk in charge of a car.

Carling, of Gardiner Street, Dundee, had also breached bail conditions not to consume alcohol after a “spectacular fall from grace”.

He had previously admitted being in possession of the knife in the KFC in on High Street, Dundee, on May 11 and admitted consuming alcohol despite court restrictions banning him from drinking on March 5 on Brantwood Avenue and on May 6 on Ward Road.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that despite being under a bail condition not to drink alcohol at the time of the offence, he was visibly swaying when officers arrived after worried staff contacted them.

When they arrested him and took him to police headquarters he was asked if he had any weapons. Carling replied that they would find it anyway before showing them a 7cm lock-knife hidden in his suit pocket.

A court source said: “It was a ridiculous incident to begin with — it all started over his chicken that he ordered. He wasn’t happy and it turned into a ruckus so police were called.”

On Tuesday, his solicitor George Donnelly told the court that Carling had descended into alcoholism from 2008.

“He’s someone who was a professional sportsman who improved his lot by going to tertiary education and someone who founded his own business.”

Sheriff Richard Davidson said: “What still sticks in my mind as a quite unusual feature was how ordinary members of the public were so concerned that several contacted police because you were obviously hopelessly intoxicated while behind the wheel of a car.”

Sentencing Carling to 23 months in prison, Sheriff Davidson added: “You were found on the High Street in Dundee with a knife in your possession while subject to two bail orders further flouting the law.

“And while you were there with this knife in your possession you were involved in a disturbance and you were so hopelessly under the influence of alcohol you didn’t know what you were doing.